Film and Television Action Committee Secures Services of Washingon DC Law Firm

January 23, 2002

The Film & Television Action Committee (FTAC) is pleased to announce the retention of the Washington DC law firm Stewart and Stewart as legal counsel in it's campaign to secure countervailing duties against the Canadian film production subsidies.

Lead counsel Alan M. Dunn served as Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce for Import Administration at which time he was chief administrator of U.S. trade laws. He was also lead U.S. negotiator on issues of subsidies and antidumping rules in both the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and in the multilateral GATT Uruguay Round trade negotiations, which established the World Trade Organization (WTO). As FTAC Chairman Brent Swift commented, "Not only is Stewart and Stewart the nation's leading law firm on securing countervailing duties, but they literally wrote the laws that regulate these duties."

In 1980 the firm represented the United Auto Workers in a case that led to the voluntary restraint agreement with Japan. Most recently they represented the softwood timber industry in successfully placing a 32% countervailing duty on subsidized Canadian timber exports. Last year 60 per cent of all countervailing duties awarded by the Commerce Department were handled through the firm of Stewart and Stewart.

Joel Joseph, chairman and lead counsel for the Made in USA Foundation will continue as chief legal coordinator for FTAC's multiple legal initiatives against the Canadian film production subsidies.